History of CheNH

Christian Home Educators of NH began as a local homeschool support group in Hillsborough in 1988 before there was a home school law. In those days parents had to ask permission and show evidence of some hardship (religious, etc) and then submit to the whims of local officials.

This was changed in 1990 with the passage of RSA193-A and associated rules Ed315.

CHENH became a statewide organization intent on lobbying the legislature during a contentious process that pitted state bureaucrats, wanting complete control over home education, against parents who wanted complete autonomy. The result was something in the middle and CHENH has remained active trying to keep State regulation to a minimum ever since.

Scott Somerville was the first President of CHENH and later moved on to work as an attorney for Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Mike Donnelly, HSLDA attorney who currently represents homeschoolers in NH, was also a former CHENH Governor.